Shoe-form.



No. 682,225. Paftented Sept. l0, l90l. W. L. C. NILES.

SHOE FORM.

(Application led Dec. 13, 1900.)

(No Model.)

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PATnNT WALTER L. C. NILES, OF LYNN, MASSACHUSETTS.

SHOEWFORIV.

SPEGIFIGATIQN forming part of Letters Patent No. 682,225, datedSeptember 10, 1901.

Application filed December 13, 1900. Serial No. 39,725. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WALTER L. C. N ILES, a citizen ofthe United States,residing at Lynn, in the county of Essex and State of Massachusetts,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Shoe-Forms; and ldo hereby declarethe following to be a full, clear, and exactdescription of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in theart to which it appertains to make and use the same.

The present invention relates to lasts and forms for boots and shoes,`and more particularly to improvements in lasts and forms used asfollowers in factories and as fillers for displaying sample shoes, andwhich are generally made hollow, of some vulcanized or indurated ber.Such a hollow form is shown in Letters Patent of the United States No.594,551, granted to me and dated the 30th day of November, 1397. Theform of this patent embodies a brace extending from side to side at theball portion, designed to support the sides of the form to preventlateral compression. This brace consists of a bar with pointed ends,which is supported at its ends in end rests or seats, in which thepointed ends of the brace fit. Some difficulty has been encountered inthe use of the form with the brace so constructed, asit sometimeshappens that it becomes displaced and falls out of its seats or rests.Moreover, such brace was made of wood and would often get broken.

The object of the present invention is to provide a strong yet lightbrace-one that is not easily broken, that cannot become displaced, andwhich will aord a more effective support for the sides of the form.

To the above ends the present invention consists of the improved formwhich will now be described and claimed.

The present invention is shown in the accompanying drawings, in which-Figure 1 shows alongitudinal vertical sectional view of a form embodyingthe same. Fig. 2 shows a transverse section taken on the dotted line,Fig. 1. Fig. 3 shows the improved brace removed from the form andpartially in section at one end. Fig. 4 shows a transverse sectionthrough the brace.

Similar letters of reference will be employed to designate correspondingparts.

In the drawings, A is the hollow bottomless form, made of vulcanized -orindurated fiber,- substantially like the form of the patent hereinbeforereferred to, and B is the lateral brace, connected to the sides of theform near the bottom and extending laterally across the ball portion.The brace B is made of metal, and comprises the bar C, which at each endis bent substantially at right-angles, forming the pressure-sustainingshoulders D, from which extend outwardly at right angles the pointedclenching-prongs E. The brace is fastened to the sides of the form bymeans of the clenching-prongs, which eft'ectually prevent itsdisplacement, and the shoulders D, resting against the inner face of thesides, provide a firm support and prevent lateral compression. Forlightness and strength the brace is formed of sheet metal, the barportion C being bent into U shape in section, from the ends of whichdepend the broad shoulders D, as clearly shown in Fig. 4. I

prefer to secure to the inner face of the sidesv reinforcing-pieces F,through which the attaching prongs are passed and which strengthen thesides of the form.

My improved brace is light and strong and can be cheaply made andinserted.

Having described my invention, I claim as new and desire to protect byLetters Patent of the United Statesl. A hollow form provided with abrace, consisting of a bar provided at each end with angularlydisposedbearing-shoulders and clenching-points, clenched in the sides of theform, substantially as described.

2. A hollow form provided with a brace, consisting of a barsubstantially U -shaped in cross-section and having at each enddownwardly-turned broad bearing-shoulders, and clenching-pointsprojecting from the shoulders clenched in the sides of the form,substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I aiiix my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

WALTER L. NILES.

Witnesses:

R. B. IRESAN, T. HART ANDERSON.

